The Flame and the Sea
by DP-san
Summary: Hao has an inner debate with himself about the flame and the sea. Is the sea more powerful? Or is the flame all that, and more?


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The Flame and the Sea  
By Wusai, the Dark Phantasy  


Disclaimer: I don't own Shaman King. Sadly.  
Claimer: I own my ideas...  
A/N: I _will_ finish my other fics, I _will_ finish my other fics, I _will_ finish my other fics...  


***  


I add more wood to the raging fire. It's quite amazing how it doesn't jump out of that ring of rocks and rage across the land. Not yet, at least.  
  
I'm lost in the colors. Look at all the pretty colors! Seriously.  
  
The finger of flame licks at the sky. I snicker. And they thought _Horo Horo_ had a big appetite. There is nothing with a bigger appetite than fire. Maybe the sea can compare. I've never tried contrasting the two.  
  
I stick my hand into the fire. Its fingers caress me. It took years of pain and burns to earn the fire's trust. Now I know that the fire isn't hot. I just have to keep that in mind. Endure the 'heat'.  
  
I toss another log into the fire. The finger of flame touches the wood, and finds that it tastes good. It opens its fiery mouth, biting into the wood. _Crackle_. There goes the last of the wood. All there is now is just a pile of ashes. Purified ashes.  
  
_The sea is all that, and more_.  
  
Where have I heard that? It sounds so familiar. How can the sea be all that the flame is, and more? The sea is naught but water filling up a crevice. Nothing more.  
  
_The sea is all that, and more_.  
  
The sea is so slow. It takes hundreds of years for it to devour a rock. A flame just has to be heated _just right_, and it will devour the rock in mere hours.  
  
_The sea is all that, and more._  
  
Well, it _is_ quite amazing how the sea can take huge bites out of the land. Though I _do_ believe that if you replace the calm waters with a raging fire, the land will be gone in, hm, a few months. Maybe a few years. The flame is _so_ much faster than the sea.  
  
_The sea is all that, and more._  
  
Tell me, how can the sea be more than _that_?  
  
_Crossing three waters is Cathbad's method of attracting luck_.  
  
So it attracts luck. Fire does, too. Water's not the _only_ purifying element. Why can't anyone _see_ that?  
  
_It is much easier to cross water than to cross fire._  
  
What makes you think that? I could _easily_ cross fire. The only reason others cannot do that is because they cannot achieve the mental state of believing that fire is not hot.  
  
_Water has depth_.  
  
Is that really all so special? Water doesn't give off light. Water doesn't give off warmth. Water isn't mesmerizing.  
  
_Water is the blood of the Earth_.  
  
Well.... that _is_ true.  
  
_Fire can destroy that blood. Fire can destroy the Earth._  
  
What makes you think _water_ doesn't destroy the Earth?!  
  
_Water both destroys and constructs the Earth_.  
  
Fire can do that, as well. Something as pathetic as water shouldn't be considered a purifying element. Only fire has such authority.   
  
_One can easily cleanse oneself with water. One must go through pain to cleanse oneself through fire_.  
  
What makes you think that? I can cleanse myself with fire. I don't feel any pain.  
  
_Water is a symbol of tranquillity. Fire is only a symbol of pain and war_.  
  
Oh really? What about all those people who lose their homes and lives to tsunamis? Hurricanes? Typhoons?  
  
_Water both destroys and constructs the Earth_.  
  
Fire is all that, and more.  
  
_Fire doesn't give life by quenching the thirst of the crying plants. Fire doesn't give life by flowing through the Earth's veins. Fire doesn't share. Fire is greedy_.  
  
That's where you're wrong. The flame shares itswarmth and light, thus giving life.  
  
_Fire can only share to few. Water is everywhere. Fire cannot be everywhere._  
  
Well, I must admit, that's true...  
  
_Water is gentle. That's why it's slow. It doesn't use brutal force, like the flame. It doesn't rush. It knows it has time, so its patient. A flame can be put out by the wind, or by the water_.  
  
That's also true, I suppose... Ow! The fire _burned_ me!! I quickly take my hand out of the fire. How could it _burn_ me?! I am Asakura Hao, the strongest Fire Shaman, and the flame _burned_ me! I shall never listen to that voice within, speaking of the water. Idiot voice makes me lose my self-control. It _burned_ me... the fire _burned_ me..._   
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***  


A/N: The following lines were taken from _The Hounds of the Mórrígan_ by Pat O'Shea:  
  
1. The sea is all that, and more.  
2. Crossing three waters is Cathbad's method of attracting luck.  
3. It is much easier to cross water than to cross fire.  
  
The rest are all my quotes. Kee, I forgot to mention that I don't own _The Hounds of the Mórrígan_... I do love that novel...


End file.
